Rose
by NiaWaters
Summary: The traditional Disney's Sleeping Beauty over a longer period of time and a little darker. Aurora/Phillip with some Aurora angst about her identity.
1. Preface

Spell dialogue (c) Disney (I changed the names, duh. But still, (c) Disney for the characters throughout this whole story).

(This is a story for my dear friend, Raz. She's mad because I haven't finished it STILL. It's six months late, but who's counting? I keep editing the crap out of it, hah, good times).

**Update:** Wow! I finally finished this monster. Huzzah! (big pat on the back for moi). ^_^

Reviews are welcome, enjoy the story. Thanks :)

* * *

**Preface**

1500: the new century. The city of Lake Como was celebrating for a greater reason than just the New Year, though. At precisely twelve o'clock midnight, the queen let out a labored breath as her long-awaited daughter entered the world. As the early morning became a crisp January day, a huge celebration leaked into the night. The grand party was well on its way as each noble house presented a gift to the new princess.

The king and queen were then greeted by three good fairies. Their names were Ornella, Glaucia, and Freya. Ornella was brightly dressed in pink and skipped ahead of her sisters to gaze down into the small, ornate crib. She twirled lightly into the air and kissed the cheek of the sleeping child. Freya went to kiss the hands of the king and queen while Glaucia watched the crib quietly.

Ornella bowed to the queen and king and offered a gift of magic to them. They nodded eagerly and the room fell silent. Ornella reveled in the spotlight and waved her hands intricately as she spoke soft words:

"_One gift, beauty rare, _

_Gold of sunshine in her hair, _

_Lips that shame the red, red rose,_

_She'll walk in springtime wherever she goes."_

As she spoke, the small wisps of sparkling gold and pink magic descended unto the small babe. Freya smiled at her sister and modestly laced her fingers together, creating a humming swirl of green magic and granted the small princess,

"_One gift, the gift of song, _

_Melody your whole life long, _

_The nightingale's her troubadour, _

_Bringing his sweet serenade into her door."_

The king and queen smiled gratefully to the two fairies. Glaucia eyed the child and tapped her short fingers to her lips in thought before nodding and raising her hand. Suddenly, the windows grew black, and the stone walls trembled. A gust of cold wind swept through the grand hallway, chilling the guests to the bone. The king stood, and held his wife close as an eerie figure, draped in a billowing black cloak entered the room. With a sharp tap of her scepter, the dark hood fell to reveal the Mistress of Evil: Malvina. Her shocking lime-green eyes swept the banquet room, taking in the empty wine bottles and other signs of gaiety. She raised her arching eyebrows to the king and strode over to the royal family. There was a long silence that Malvina broke,

"What a shame that my invite had gone astray. It seems that I've missed the party of the century." Her lips curled and she stroked her small raven that was nestled on her shoulder. The sly comment escaped the lips of Glaucia before Ornella elbowed her sister,

"Perhaps you were not wanted."

Malvina's smirk remained, "My, how uncomfortable this is. But, please, I still have my gift for our fair princess." In her long fingers, appeared a small, dull sphere of black magic. The queen ran for her daughter as the wicked woman screeched,

"_Listen well, all of you! _

_The princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her. _

_But! Before the sun sets on her sixteenth birthday, _

_She shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel...and _die_."_

The ball of black magic hit the infant princess, and the mother let out a sharp cry of despair. The queen held her daughter to her chest and sobbed as Malvina laughed and disappeared in a cloud of green and purple smoke. The furious king stormed out of the hallway, declaring that every spindle was to be burned as the guests all chattered anxiously, taking their leave. Ornella and Freya knelt by the weeping queen and tried to comfort her. Glaucia quietly floated toward the queen and cleared her throat. In a soft, but firm voice she told the queen, "There is hope." The queen's tear streaked face looked to the small fairy in blue. Glaucia spread her hands apart and created an intricate pattern of blue thread-like magic as she spoke,

"_Sweet princess, _

_If through this wicked witch's trick, a spindle should your finger prick, _

_A ray of hope there still may be in this: the gift I give to thee. _

_Not in death, but just in sleep, this fateful prophecy you'll keep. _

_And from this slumber you shall wake, _

_When true love's kiss, the spell shall break."_

The small strings of magic would their way around the small princess's body and vanished in a small puff of smoke.


	2. Chapter 1

SB characters (c) Disney

* * *

**Chapter One**

The date was December 17, 1515. The fair Princess Aurora would be turning sixteen sooner than she cared to think of. She had not seen her father or mother for nearly thirteen years, since they had decided to send her away for her well-being until after her sixteenth birthday. Aurora was to be cared for by the three good fairies, Ornella, Freya, and Glaucia outside a small town in the pastoral area of the kingdom. The three fairies had traded in their supernatural lives, and lived as mortal shopkeepers while Princess Aurora took on the role of Rose, the remarkably lovely orphan child. She was denied the truth for all these years, and thought of her caretakers as her kind-hearted aunts.

The fairies did everything in their power to mask her noticeable and unearthly beauty as she matured. At the age of ten they dyed her hair a dark black with pen ink, and told her to never reveal her face to anyone out in the town. The older she grew, the harder it became to hide her from the outside world. Once she turned thirteen she began to question her guardians about why she could not show her face to others. They simply told her it was for her own good, but Rose secretly assumed that it was because she was ugly, with her strange jewel-like eyes and golden hair, she felt like an outcast among the villagers. As the years went by, Aurora found solace in the ancient woods surrounding her home. She would wander for hours, singing only to the spirits of the forest and all the woodland animals that were drawn to her. It was there that she felt peace within herself; where she didn't have to know who she was to be accepted.

* * *

It was a cool afternoon when Ornella inquired,

"How does everyone feel about a peach pie for after supper?" Glaucia's nose wrinkled.

"Why not blackberries? We haven't had that one for ages." Aurora suggested in a sweet voice; she knew blackberries were Glaucia's favorite.

"Blackberry does sound good." Glaucia smirked, and Aurora winked at her. Ornella sighed,

"_You two_—Rose, go pick the berries that _you'd_ like." Ornella got up and handed her a small basket. Freya looked up from her stitching and said brightly,

"Rose, would you mind getting some fresh pine as well? The house is a bit stuffy." Aurora nodded, taking the basket and grabbing a thick navy cloak. Ornella tucked Aurora's streaked black and blonde hair into the hood as Aurora laced up her sturdy boots; an early snowfall had left the air chilled and the ground damp. The three fairies no longer had such an anxious time letting Aurora out to explore the woods, but there was still a tinge of worry in the air as Aurora opened the door of the cottage. Ornella warned,

"Now, be back before it gets too dark, or we'll have to—"

"'Transform me into an obedient flower,' I _know_. Don't worry, Ornella."

* * *

A steady, slow wind wound its way around the tall pine trees, and blew Aurora's cloak around her feet. It was an unusually warm day for the winter season, and Aurora welcomed the sunlight on her cheeks. It took no time for her to make her way to the blackberry bushes planted a little more than a kilometer away. She sang simple tunes as she walked, and attracted a small family of deer. They lay down next to her when she knelt to pick the small berries that stained her hands with their dark juice. For a full half-hour, she picked and let the baby deer lick her fingertips clean as she giggled. In the distance, Aurora heard a splashing at the creek, but couldn't bring herself to walk away from the small patch of sunlight she had found.

The small deer curled up next to her, and the soft sunlight and breeze made Aurora drowsy. Sleep found her and, as always, her dreams were filled with a man that she had seen so many times before who danced and laughed with her—sharing their most secretive wishes with only each other. The dream sequence continued and as he was spinning her into an embrace, Aurora's dream-self prepared to be warmly received; however, he caught her wrist almost painfully hard. Then, she realized the distant pain in her wrist was too real to be a dream. Her eyes flew open to face a man with a cruel smile curling his lips. Quickly, she looked around and saw that there were four men surrounding her. They wore tattered, dirty clothing, and swirls of magic tattoos adorned the bare skin of their necks and arms. A sharp jerk from the man brought Aurora to her knees, and another pulled her up to her feet.

The language he spoke was strange; she knew it as English, but couldn't recognize what any of them were saying. The other men laughed, and Aurora continued to struggle from his tight hold. He shook his head and clucked his tongue at her, stroking her cheek with a dirty finger. Again, he tugged at her and said something else that the men laughed at. His blackened fingernails began to claw at the tie on her brown corset, and Aurora slapped the man's hand away, but he caught it. A smile crept onto the man's face, and he tightened his grip on her wrists; then he pushed her back, violently against the tree bark. Aurora felt the rough surface scratch against her back and arms as the man's face came close to hers. His rank breath mingled with the air around her, and she let out a soft whimper.

The man's grip loosened, and moved down to her waist. In the moment of temporary freedom, Aurora thrust her elbows in to hit the man hard in the side of the head, and pushed him back with all her strength. The woods were a blur as she ran through the forest. A strong hand pulled her back with much more force than she had thought the man could muster. She smacked back into his chest where he slapped her across the face and began to roughly pull at the leather straps holding her corset together. Somehow, she managed to free her hands from his grasp, and felt her fist connect with his face where she felt something snap. He let out a loud groan of agony, and held a hand to his bleeding nose.

Aurora tore herself away from him again, but was overcome by the three other men. Two grabbed each of her wrists, and the third hit her hard in the stomach so that all the breath in her body seemed to leave her. The fourth man came over to her, cursing, and still clutching his bleeding nose. His face came so close to hers that she could smell the salt of his blood and sweat. From his belt he grabbed a knife, and she thrashed against her captors' hold. Suddenly, the man holding the knife fell hard to the floor, an arrow protruding from his back. The two men holding her let go, and she kicked one in the knee before starting to run again. One man caught up, but stumbled onto her when an arrow hit him in the back of the neck. Aurora struggled to free herself from his dead weight, looking around frantically for the source of the arrows.

When she was finally free, she stumbled to a tree to support her shaking legs, and watched as the other two men ran to a fallen tree to fight a man in brown with a red cape. He shot at them with arrows, but was soon overtaken by the men's blades. Aurora grabbed a large rock as she ran toward the group, and hurled it at one of the men; it hit him in the back of the leg, bringing him down to his knees and allowing the caped man to spear him with an arrow. The remaining criminal lunged at the man in brown before taking a blow to the head; he proceeded to stumble backwards, clutching his head as blood ran through his fingers, and scampered off into the thick woods.

The man with the red cape stood still for a moment, his chest heaving, before he looked over to where Aurora stood.

"Where you harmed?" He asked in a gentle voice. Aurora shook her head in response. He walked over to her as he tugged the bow over his head to rest behind his back. She noticed a large tear in his shoulder puff, and reached out to it saying,

"You're hurt." He shrugged and winced in pain, then grabbed his shoulder. As the man pulled his hand away, he swayed, and steadied himself on the tree next to her. From his hand, dripped blood; the brownish sleeve was darkening as the wound began to bleed profusely. She quickly steadied the man, and brought him to a sitting position against the tree. Slowly, she pulled away the sticky shoulder puff to reveal a deep gash where his neck and shoulder connected.

"You need to see a doctor right away, sir. You're loosing too much blood." Aurora couldn't hide the tremor in her voice as she spoke. She pulled her now blood-stained hands away from him, ripped at her under skirt, and wrapped the wound tightly as the man rambled on about his family doctor in the town many miles away. "We don't have time for that. We'll need to go to my aunts." He nodded, and tried to stand, but fell back and pulled at his hair, saying,

"I think I may be sick." Aurora could feel the panic building up inside of her, and stood to look around desperately for anything that could help them. A shrill whistle made her jump and she turned to face the man who had his left fingers in his mouth.

"What are you _doing?_ Do you want all the vagrants of the forest to know where we are?"

"Calm yourself; I'm just calling Sam." He said impatiently. From behind her, Aurora heard splashing, and an enormous white beast trotted into the clearing. Her eyes widened at the sight of such a magnificent creature; she had often read of the large beasts, but had never actually seen a horse before. It put its head down to the man, and nuzzled his stomach.

"You'll get a carrot, later, Sam." He mumbled. Then, he said to Aurora, "Help me get on, so we can getta'…move—damn, I think that blade was poisoned." He slumped against the tree again as his words began to slur.

"Oh, God, all right, hold onto me." She said, grabbing hold of his waist and hoisting him up with all of her strength.

"Down, Sam." He managed to say; the horse slowly bent its front legs and head to allow the man to pull his leg over the side. "You ride?" He asked with half-lidded eyes.

"No, I—" He laughed, and said,

"You do now; go in front." Aurora frowned, and swung her leg over the broad back of the horse, nearly kicking the man in the stomach.

"Sorry." His head wobbled in a half-nod, and he tried to explain to Aurora how to steer the horse through spells of clear and garbled speech. After a bumpy start, Aurora got the hang of making the horse trot slowly enough to keep them both from toppling off. The man had to clutch to the horse's white mane from falling off, and rested his head on Aurora's back as they made their way steadily to the woodcutter's cottage.

Ornella, Freya, and Glaucia all raced out of the home as they caught sight of Aurora and the horse.

"_Rose!_ What in heaven's name has happened?" Ornella cried out. Freya patted her sister's shoulder,

"Come along, we need to get him inside." Aurora and the three fairies helped the man down and into the small house where they laid him on the rug of the sitting room. He groaned in semi-consciousness as the ladies undid his bandaged shoulder. Freya said calmly,

"Rose, I need you to thread a needle for me, please." Aurora quickly did so and handed Freya the threaded needle as Glaucia came back from the kitchen, and efficiently cleaned the man's wound with ointment.

"Thank you, dear. Now, sir, this will hurt a bit, but it will be over in two minuets time." Aurora cringed as the thread closed a tip of the wound together. The man let out an unsightly word as the needle pierced his skin and Ornella gasped. Aurora couldn't find it in herself to stop a nervous giggle that had bubbled to the surface from the obscenity. The man rolled his head to face her, and her bright azure eyes were locked onto his strange hazel ones. His face and body relaxed and Aurora found that her breath was being held hostage. A pleasant warmth traveled through her body to her fingertips that sent a chill down her back.

In her panicked state, she had not been able to take in his face; she found it to be the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, even covered in dirt and grime. She felt that she wanted to touch and know the lines of it; as her fingertips twitched, she thought she heard Ornella's voice, but it was far off, and all she could hear were his warm eyes calling to her.

"_Rose_." Aurora's trance broke as Ornella's warm hand pressed itself to her flushed cheek. "For goodness sake, child, go get water and some soup for this poor man while we finish him up." Aurora nodded, not looking at the man, and went away into the kitchen with the vision of his eyes still imprinted in her mind.


	3. Chapter 2

SB (c) Disney

* * *

**Chapter Two**

The kitchen air was warm and moist with the smell of dinner. Just above the fire was a large copper kettle with a creamy soup inside that smelled of carrots and fresh spices. After she poured a small cup of water, Aurora ladled the soup into a thick, clay bowl, and hurried out into the room where the man was propped against the small couch. His eyes were squinted in pain as Freya dabbed at his stitches with a small cloth that reeked of a foul-smelling ointment.

"Does it still sting, dear? Tell me when it stops." A moment passed before the man said,

"That's fine, now." Freya smiled and switched cloths—this one drenched in an antibiotic, too. He let out a sharp hiss and then relaxed. Ornella went over to Aurora and took the bowl from her hands.

"Sir, we really insist that you eat something." He nodded and took the bowl from Ornella, glancing at Aurora before saying,

"I'm deeply humbled. Thank you." Aurora cast her eyes down, and the fairies nodded, saying it was no trouble.

"Now, dear, wherever did you get this wound?" Ornella asked. The man swallowed a spoonful of the soup and answered,

"In the woods; we were attacked by a group of…thieves." Aurora could feel her aunts shudder in unison, their worst fears coming alive. The man added, "This soup is spectac—"

"_Thieves!_" Freya exclaimed, eyebrows pulling together. Glaucia spoke before either one of her sisters could interrupt her,

"Rose, are _you_ hurt at all?" Her deep brown eyes wandered down to Aurora's bloodstained clothing and quickly restrung ties.

"No, Glaucia, I'm fine. This man saved me before I was in any real trouble." Mechanically, she pressed her hand to her stomach; she felt a small twinge where a bruise was forming. She was thankful for the sleeves that covered her bruised arms. The fairies let out a sigh of relief, and turned to the man again, who had nearly finished his soup,

"We are deeply in debt to you, sir. Thank you for your valiant efforts to save our young Rose." He bowed his head, taking a long glance at Aurora again as she studied her dirty palms. There was a moment of silence before Freya stated,

"Well, sir, you're in no state to travel. You must rest; the poison may not entirely leave your system for a few days." As she turned to Aurora, her loose bun of brown hair swung, "Rose, why don't you come out with me to put the horse away? I'll go grab a blanket for—Sam, is it?" Aurora nodded and excused herself as she walked out the front door. There was a short pause where Ornella took up her thread box and searched around as she twittered conversationally,

"What a shame that these fine robes have been ruined. I'll attempt to mend them, though I'm not much with a needle and thread. What family do you belong to, sir?" The man gulped down his last bit of soup, and managed to say,

"The Rightsting family, ma'am, my name is Phillip." There was a dull crash as the wooden case of needles that had been perched on Ornella's knees fell to the floor.

"You are the son of King Hubert?" Glaucia asked in a tone that made the question seem like a statement. Phillip nodded and started to help pick up the needles that had fallen.

"Oh, my. Wh—what an honor, your highness." Ornella paused and said quickly, "Excuse us; I've just remembered something very important." When the needles were picked up, and the box was placed a safe distance away from the edge of the table, Glaucia and Ornella let themselves outside. Aurora and Freya were walking back from the small garden in the back, and Ornella called out in a high voice,

"Rose! Please go inside and make our guest comfortable. Let him have your room, dear." Aurora nodded dutifully.

"Freya, come with us, sister, we need to have a talk. We'll be right back, Rose."

"Do be careful!" Aurora called after the three as they walked into the woods.

Freya lightly skipped to her two sisters and they all huddled together.

"We have _interesting_ news to say the least." Ornella announced. Freya's eyebrows knitted together and she looked to her other sister for explanation.

"We've discovered the identity of our young man, here. He is Prince Phillip, son of King Hubert." Freya gasped and put a small, thin hand to her lips.

"The very same Phillip that is—"

"Oh, yes, the _very_ same one! What shall we do? Do we tell Aurora?"

"She _can't_ know, yet, and besides," Ornella bit her bottom lip as she spoke, "Phillip will not recognize Aurora. He has only met her once, as a small child." There was a moment of silence as the three fairies pondered privately.

"Perhaps we should just tell her everything." Glaucia suggested in a quiet voice.

"Yes, but if we tell her now, won't she want to return home, immediately? There will be an announcement that she is home before her birthday, and Malvina will know exactly where to find her." The three brewed over Freya's words. Glaucia added,

"We cannot let Phillip know either, or he is sure to tell Aurora of her identity."

"We must wait until her birthday. If we remain faithful to the original plan, all will go well." They all nodded in agreement to Ornella's final decision, and began to walk back to the small cottage.

* * *

As the three fairies hastened out into the woods, Aurora walked back to the cottage quietly. She grabbed the stiff pillow and bulky blanket from the cupboard under the stairwell, and walked into the small sitting area where Phillip was standing, looking around the small room while he tenderly cupped his newly bandaged shoulder. Aurora watched him as he picked up one of her delicate, hand-carved, wooden roses on the mantle. He observed it before turning to find her watching him. He smiled and she blushed before saying softly,

"I'll show you to your room. Freya says that you should lie down in case your body reacts to the poison." He nodded and put the rose down gently.

"Thank you," He said in a soft, fervent voice, "If you hadn't hit that man in the leg, he would have killed me." His hand moved to his neck. Aurora smiled,

"You're welcome." She walked around him to set down the bedding next to the sofa.

"Your bed is this way." She said quietly, leading him up the stairs. He followed, but stumbled on the first step. Aurora caught and steadied him.

"Still light-headed." He laughed, and held to her for support while they climbed the narrow, wooden stairs. Aurora couldn't help but notice the way his large hand clutched to the small of her back as they took slow steps. When they reached the top, she led him to her bedroom on the right, and he sat on the thick blue sheets that adorned the bed.

"Thank you," He managed before he suddenly doubled over, and gripped the sheets in his broad hands. Aurora's eyes widened and she knelt down, feeling the heat of a fever sear through his forehead to her fingertips.

"Lie down." She said. Phillip slowly rested his head onto the pillow, and pulled up the blankets to his stomach. Aurora rose and retrieved a washcloth; she poured some water over it in the basin of her bedroom, and returned to Phillip. Carefully, she ran the damp cloth over the hot skin of his shoulder and neck, soaking his cream undershirt, and removing the blood that still lingered on his skin. Then, patted it on his forehead to cool him. She watched him helplessly as he gnashed his teeth together in pain. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"For what?" He asked, glancing at her through squinted eyes.

"You were injured because of me. You could have let me be, but you—"

"No, don't be sorry." His fingertips gently brushed hers. "One as beautiful as you should never be harmed." Aurora's cheeks warmed considerably, and she said softly,

"Well, thank you, but I can't imagine why you would say such a thing. I would have been fine..." She trailed off, resuming her work of cooling his skin. He laughed and said,

"It didn't seem to be going fine for you." Aurora felt a wave of embarrassment,

"I could have handled it, I would have—" Phillip interrupted her, his eyebrows rising in amusement,

"Are you so naïve as to really think that?"

"Apparently loss of blood makes for a loss of courtesy," She snapped, "And may I remind you that if it were not for me, you would be dead on the forest floor right now." Phillip's playful smile did not match his mordant tone,

"You speak nothing but truth. I am _deeply_ pardoned, Miss Rose." She frowned and narrowed her eyes.

"Well, goodnight, _signore_." She began to rise from the side of the bed, but was caught by his hand,

"Phillip," He stated quietly and added in the same gently tone, "I truly am sorry if I offended you. Please don't go just yet." Aurora scowled but lowered herself to the side of the bed again, and stayed with the prince until sleep found him.

* * *

The next day, the young prince woke with a blistering fever. The wound had become infected, and the remaining poison had managed to work its way into his system. The severe illness made him incapable of moving from the bed. After nearly two weeks, Phillip was finally able to sit up, speak and walk properly. In the days that Phillip had spent with Aurora and the three fairies, he felt better than he had in a long time due to the small amounts of magic Freya had secretly used in his medicines. He also found that the clever girl, Rose—who tended to him at night, spoke to him in the most beautiful voice he had ever heard, and whose eyes held the depths of the heavens themselves—had become the steadfast obsession of his conscious and unconscious mind.

Early in the morning, on the thirteenth day of Phillip's stay, Aurora walked down to the smell of baking in the kitchen. Ornella called out to Aurora,

"Rose, will you go feed Sam, please?" Aurora nodded and walked out to the make-shift stable where the white horse was resting. The three fairies bustled around the kitchen and prepared breakfast. Glaucia let out a short breath when she heard Aurora close the door.

"It's for the best, dear; we mustn't let on about anything, especially now." Freya patted Glaucia's shoulder, and then continued,

"Thank you, Ornella. With all the magic, now, I keep forgetting that Aurora doesn't know." Freya chanted a spell softly, and the clear liquid that was Phillip's medicine, pulsated a bright blue for a moment before becoming translucent again. Ornella nodded,

"Malvina is at her peak; the storms have become more ominous each day that draws closer to Aurora's birthday."

In the back, where Sam was situated, Aurora stroked the horse's soft nose as he nibbled on the oats in her hand. She hummed softly to herself, and began to walk back to the house, but was distracted by the voices of the three fairies drifting through the back window. She walked slowly and picked up some of the conversation:

"...should tell her; have you lost _all_ your sense?" came a bossy voice. Aurora stopped and hovered by the side of the window, out of sight, as the three fairies stood, cooking and talking. A huskier voice, which Aurora thought she recognized as Glaucia's, answered,

"It's just so hard to keep this from her, now. The time has almost come, you know. I think she would understand the delicacy of the situ—" Another, more feminine voice answered,

"Perhaps, she would, but there is still no reason to make anything more difficult than it has to be..."

Aurora felt as though a large hand was pressing onto her chest; her breath came quicker as she felt heat flood her entire being. There was a soft patter as she ran to the front of her home and grabbed the door handle, but she stopped short. She took a deep breath, and entered the cottage, walking casually into the kitchen. Freya had her back turned to her, and was humming a lullaby softly that Aurora recognized from childhood. Aurora looked at her three aunts and felt the pressure of their secrets rise into her chest again. Ornella turned at the sound of the clicking of Aurora's boots on the wooden floor.

"Oh, dear," She said, tilting her head to one side, and putting her hand on her hip, "Your hair is beginning to streak." Aurora reached a hand up to stroke her curly, ink-stained hair. "We'll need to dye it tonight, Rosie." Aurora didn't respond, but instead backed up to the wall across from them, and lowered her eyes to examine a lock of dyed hair.

"Ornella, why must I dye my hair? I don't even remember the name of my natural color, now." Aurora glanced up in time to have her blue eyes met with Ornella's widened brown ones.

"Well, because, dear..." Aurora waited. In the past, Aurora had questioned why they dyed her hair, but she had been young and had not required a thorough answer.

"Ornella?"

Ornella sighed, "It's complicated, Rose. We shall discuss it another time." Her smile did not reach her eyes. Glaucia's gaze lowered and Freya did not turn around. The heaviness on Aurora's chest made her voice tremble,

"Auntie—" She took a shaking breath, "I know you are all lying to me." Freya's stirring had stopped, and Glaucia stood silently. Ornella's lips tightened into a thin line. Their silence pierced Aurora's ears.

The group in the kitchen didn't hear Phillip's soft footsteps on the stairs as he entered the living room. From there, he stopped walking when he heard Aurora's quivering voice ask,

"What's going to happen to me? What's wrong with me?" He heard her choke on the last word, and the soft-spoken Freya answered,

"There is nothing wrong with you Rose, it's just..."

"It's so very complicated, Rose, we need you to accept—" Aurora's quiet voice cut in,

"_No._ I hate that everything about me is a secret. Why can I know nothing about my parents—my life before this? I cannot believe that you still won't trust me with _my _life." There was no answer, and Phillip took a deep breath before opening the door at the front of the cottage. He shut it silently, and walked a little ways before he heard the door open again. Aurora slammed the door behind her, and walked toward him with tears in her azure eyes. As she passed him, he reached out a hand and grabbed her arm. She turned to him with alarm, and he let go quickly.

"I'm sorry, I—I mean, are you all right?" Aurora stepped away from him and brushed her hand across her eyes,

"No, I'm not." She took a steadying breath in and looked at Philip's concerned face. Her gaze was even more penetrating in its pain than he had ever seen it. The mystery of her suffering was overruling everything, so he offered,

"Would you like to walk with me?"


	4. Chapter 3

cheesy line (c) _A Knight's Tale_ (yay! because I suck at cheeZe), and SB (c) Disney

* * *

**Chapter Three**

The light was dim under the cover of the forest trees as the couple walked side by side. Winter seemed to have been delayed yet another day, as the sun bravely shone through the light cloud cover. Aurora was calmed by the familiar scents of the forest, and Phillip took in the beauty of each ancient tree, and all the rich, year-long green that adorned the forest's face.

"I'm sorry that you heard that." Aurora spoke softly and did not look to see his reaction, "I suppose I got carried away." She pulled her hair behind her ear and he chuckled,

"It's no worse than the arguments that my father and I get into." He picked up a twig idly, and threw it ahead of them.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Aurora said. He shrugged.

"Your parents," He started. Aurora stopped to sit on the edge of a rock that they had come to by a stream. "You don't remember them at all?" He asked, sitting next to her. She shook her head,

"I can't remember anything aside from living here, with my aunts. I've been with them since I was very young." He frowned, and Aurora added, "I don't know who they were—or if they are still alive." She dipped the tip of her boot into the cool water of the pond, "I'm not even allowed to know my real name."

"Rose?" She shook her head,

"That's just a childhood name—because of my lips. They say that my real name is not to be used." A small shudder passed through Aurora, and she put an arm around her waist as another small tremble rattled her body. Her vulnerability unnerved and fascinated Phillip; it was something he had never seen in her. He noticed that her lips were indeed a shade more brilliant than any rose he had ever seen. Slowly, he reached his hand out and placed it on hers. She turned to him and he was captured in the deep twin pools that were her eyes. His breath caught and he tried to remember what he had meant to say, but all that escaped his lips was,

"Perhaps angels do not have names, only beautiful faces." A red tint blossomed on each of Aurora's smooth cheeks as she put her hand to her face and looked away shyly.

"You're teasing me, again." Her voice was barely a whisper, and she began to pull her other hand from under his, but he caught it again.

"No, I'm speaking the truth." He cupped his rough hands around her fragile fingers. Aurora did not pull away.

"Why are you saying this?"

"Because you must know how lovely you are. They do not let you see it."

"No," She stated simply, "They're protecting me. I've realized that I am far from beauty, and I've made peace with it." Phillip was shocked into silence. He stared at her flawless face and striking eyes; the uneven coloring of her gold and black hair did nothing to distract his eye.

"What an amazing lie they've convinced you to believe, Rose." Aurora did not look up as he said this. A silent wind wafted by again and Aurora shivered. Phillip stood and opened the side of his red cape to her. She hesitated, but allowed him to pull her in to the make-shift wing.

* * *

There was a soft pattering as rain began to descend, hitting the pond surface and treetops around them. They walked for hours, and spoke of nothing and everything—sharing wishes and secrets as if they had been friends for an eternity—until the sun began to change the sky to a light reddish-pink. The rain had finally stopped and they found themselves seated at the far southeast side of the forest. There was a steep hill that revealed the lower valley where the royal city lay. Aurora sat against a tree, with Phillip's cape around her shoulders. He stood at the edge of the cliff, and looked out across his homeland.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Aurora had gotten up, and clutched the red material around her as she came to stand next to Phillip.

"Is that what you'd call it?" He asked, sounding amused.

"Well, why not?" The castle stood tall and skeletal with long fluttering banners at the top three towers; each, shimmered as they caught the light, and the white stone of the castle face was being hit with the sun's dying rays, making the surface shine unevenly. Phillip turned away, lowering his eyes to the wild grass as he spoke,

"I suppose it is." Aurora arched her eyebrow at the bitter tone of his voice,

"Do you live there?" Phillip sat against the tree that Aurora had occupied. "You said so yourself, that you are from the city."

"Yes, once. I haven't been back to Carlotta for nearly half a year, now." Phillip looked up when Aurora had said nothing. Her lips were parted, and she had an alarmed look on her face.

"The castle?"

"Yes." He stated simply.

"_What?_" Her voice rang as high as a bell.

"What's the matter?" Phillip asked. Aurora was astounded at his casualness. Phillip's actions and words from before began to take on a new meaning in the light of this added royal title.

"Who are you? Not the Phillip..." He sighed and stood to try and take Aurora's hands in his, but she kept them clamped shut around his red cape.

"Yes, Hubert is my father." _The King_, Aurora added mentally. Phillip saw her take a step back and turned to the view of the castle in the distance. She kept silent and did not turn around. Phillip slowly walked around her and tilted her chin up; she shrugged him off, and turned her face away from him, again.

"I was afraid to tell you." Aurora raised an eyebrow,

"Why? Because you thought I would be easier?" She took off the cape and handed it back to him. Phillip held it in his hands, feeling the warmth and the faint scent of her still clinging to it. She ran her fingers through her hair, and let out a breath of aggravation.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I didn't know it would concern you so much. I meant—"

"You thought it would not concern me? But you've been so--" She stopped herself, feeling a blush creep into her cheeks at the feelings she had so deeply hidden these past days. Aurora's tone took on an edge as she continued, "What else have you lied about?" Phillip still held the cape in his hands as he answered,

"Nothing. I am a prince, not a liar. I have my reasons for keeping my identity hidden." He looked up and searched the valley as he spoke, "My father calls me a coward for not wanting to take on my roles as king when he is gone." Phillip walked toward her, and she felt a gnarled branch stick into her back as she took a step away from him. "I do not want that title."

"Why?" Aurora asked, temporarily forgetting her irrational anger as curiosity took hold. He responded laughing,

"Have you _been_ to the city?" That caught Aurora off guard. She answered angrily,

"Not since I was ten." Phillip spread his arms and continued,

"There are too many problems that need to be fixed." Aurora raised her eyebrow, and replied in a sly voice,

"They are your responsibility to fix, then." Phillip glared at her.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand." He snapped. Aurora felt as though a flare had been lit inside of her, and she let out a fierce breath.

"You _pompous, spoiled_ _boy!_" Phillip grabbed her arm forcefully, and pulled her in close.

"_Don't _you—" The fear in Aurora's eyes cut his retort off. He loosened his grip on her arms and she backed away from him past the large tree. The two stood, not looking at one another as the minutes past. Then, a chill swept through Aurora and she stood with her hands clutching at her sides. Phillip sighed, and walked over to her, wrapping the red cape around her carefully. Aurora's gaze lowered before she took the cape and said,

"Thank you." He nodded slowly before saying in a soft voice,

"I'm so sorry, Rose. I should have told you." His warm hands encircled hers, "I swear, though, I am not a liar." His fingers rose to brush a few stray strands of hair that stuck to her bottom lip. His voice dropped to whisper ardently, "Please tell me that you have felt as I have these past days and nights I've been with you. Every sentiment I've shared with you has been true. You can trust me." She searched his warm hazel eyes; there was hope and something else that she couldn't quite place. She reached up to sweep back a lock of unruly brown hair from his brow, and he held her petite hand to his cheek.

What passed as seconds seemed like an eternity as the two searched each other's eyes. Aurora's sapphire gaze softened after a moment, and her muscles relaxed. Her senses were suddenly heightened as she became aware of how close his body was to hers. The rough terrain of his cheek against her palm was foreign, and aroused a strange feeling to the pit of her stomach. He turned his face into her palm to inhaled her scent, and pressed his lips to the soft skin.

Aurora slipped her hand out of his grasp, and brought it to the other side of his face. She distantly felt his hands move across her waist to the small of her back to press her impossibly close. Without warning, he turned and caught her mouth with his. Aurora's eyes widened in shock, but did not pull away from his firm hold. In the distance, Aurora saw a shimmering star against the purple sky, and as she closed her eyes the light began to multiply and explode.


	5. Chapter 4

SB (c) Disney. Oh, my. Things get a bit steamy, don't they? You guys aren't getting the really naughty version, though ;) Enjoy

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Aurora's head lay on Phillip's chest as he stroked her hair and she hummed softly. They watched the sun take its final bow before the moon took the sky. Aurora's voice was soft as she stated,

"It's getting late." She looked up to see Phillip still gazing at the sunset,

"Yes. Do you want to go home?" Aurora gave out a staid laugh,

"What home? I can't go back, now." Her hand reached up, around his shoulder and hoisted herself up into a sitting position in front of him. "Where will _you_ go?"

"I'm not sure. I may just rent a room in town--or, well, I don't know. Maybe Carlotta." Phillip tensed on the last word, but Aurora's head was too busy spinning to realize it. She took his hand excitedly,

"Phillip, won't you take me with you?" His dazed eyes met her bright gaze, "Then I won't have to go back. I can stay with you—that is until you no longer desire me to be—" Warm fingers were pressed to her lips and she redden at her forwardness.

"I will always desire your company." He promised, looking at her intently. Then, a smile found its way across his face.

"We'll have to get Sam, first."

* * *

It was very late; the sun had left the sky completely, and the nearly full moon cast a soft, blue glow on the forest landscape of the cottage. Phillip took Aurora's hand reassuringly and whispered,

"Wait here. When Sam runs to the other side, I'll come get you." She nodded and watched him go around the house. Aurora crept silently to the edge of the house, and noticed a soft light emitting from a window. The muffled sound of her aunts drew her in, and she stood on tip toe to peek through to the inside of the sitting room. They were sitting and speaking forcefully as they each twirled a thin, white baton in their hands. The batons were strange, though; they all had a light glow about them. Aurora squinted harder when she saw one of them tap a teacup with the white instrument, and steam began to rise from the cup. A weight on her shoulder made Aurora jump. Phillip's curious gaze met hers, but she shook her head and walked quietly to the edge of the clearing.

Sam had run ahead of them, and Phillip whistled in the darkness to find him. The lean, white beast nuzzled Phillip's shoulder affectionately before he bent his head to allow the harness to slip on.

"We'll ride to the outskirts of town to find an inn. We can decide our next destination from there."

"Perfect." Phillip gently patted Sam's back to ease him to the ground, and Aurora climbed on carefully with Phillip's help.

"Phillip, how am I supposed to stay on without holding onto the reigns?" Her nerves getting the better of her logic, and her voice wavered as the horse began to stand. Phillip laughed softly,

"You do have to grip the sattel with your...thighs." They both blushed, and Aurora answered, embarrassed,

"Oh, of course." Phillip climbed onto Sam in front of her and grabbed the reigns.

"Just hold on."

* * *

Rain had begun to come down, again, as Sam rode the two into town. Phillip tied Sam to a horse rack under a cover before he and Aurora hurried into the small inn. At the front desk, Phillip talked with a young man, and a moment later, the man hurdled over the counter to walk them up the stairs. He brought them to two rooms side by side and unlocked the dark wooden doors. Phillip and Aurora said pleasant goodnights before retreating into their own rooms.

Alone, Aurora quickly undressed and washed her grimy face off in the water basin on the wooden vanity. An uneasy sleep seized her as she dreamed of endless running through the familiar forest that surrounded her home. Throughout the night, she sat up with a start as if she had never really fallen asleep.

When morning came, Phillip took Aurora around the small town, saying that he would like to buy supplies before they went into Carlotta. They browsed the small bake shop where Aurora sampled bread sweater than any cake she had ever tasted; Phillip took Aurora to the stables behind the inn to help feed Sam. Afterward, Phillip offered Aurora riding lessons, which she agreed to with much gusto. Sam, however, seemed to object to the idea as he began galloping away when Aurora would just start to get the hang of staying on the horse. She couldn't imagine how she had managed to stay on the first time she had ridden Sam. In the process of trying to ride the stand-offish beast, Aurora tore her already dirty dress a considerable amount, and Phillip insisted she let him buy her a replacement. By this time, it began to rain again, and the two ran down the streets to a small dress shop. When Aurora entered the store she felt her eyes widen at the surplus of designs facing her, not to mention the colors; she had only known them in nature, and never imagined they could be just as brilliant on cloth. When Phillip walked in, she watched him talk to a woman with a measuring tape around her neck. The woman nodded and went to Aurora. Aurora was then measured and presented with two dresses to try on.

A while later, Aurora slipped the fine, green material of her tailored dress over a new, white under-dress, and full-torso corset. Phillip also exhibited a new outfit: a black trouser and vest along with an ivory top and his red cape. Aurora felt Phillip's shameless gaze flicker down her form, but she turned to hide the blush that crept along her face before he could see it. He came to her and handed her a new, black, velvet cape.

"Thank you." He smiled and paid the woman before escorting Aurora out.

They walked up the street to the hotel where they were welcomed by the young boy from yesterday and another, older man yelling at him. The two shouted at each other on the journey up the two flights of stairs; Aurora had to suppress her giggling as Phillip mimicked the fight in a most comical manner. When the group came to the door, Phillip said a polite "thank you" as he tipped both men. The older man jumped at Phillip's thanks, and adjusted his thick glasses as he looked more intently at Phillip.

"Oh…" He said, "_Phillip?_" Aurora's eyes widened momentarily and she looked to Phillip. His brow and lip had become rigid and he said evenly,

"Signore, I think you've mistaken—"

"_Palo!_" The man grabbed the young man's shirt, "_Aye, _it's _Phillip,_ _idiota!_" He laughed and shook Phillip's hand firmly, "It's an honor, signore. May I show you the suites that my nephew so carelessly—?"

"No. Thank you, but we just want to rest. These rooms are fine." Phillip slipped the man another small coin. This silenced him and he waddled down the stairs, pulling his nephew by the shirt and speaking to him in a low voice. Phillip let out a long breath and ran his hand through his damp hair. Aurora watched him quietly before lightly touching his fingers. He turned to her, and gripped her hand tightly.

"I'm sorry. Now we'll have to leave earlier than I thought." He muttered. Aurora shook her head as if to say he had nothing to be sorry for. She was confused at why this had upset him so much; however, the look on his face told her that questions would not be welcome. They looked at one another for a moment before Aurora sighed,

"You need rest." Her hand slid out of his, and she opened the door to enter her room. There was a resistance on the door; Aurora turned to face Phillip who was leaning against the dark wood. An emotion danced behind Phillip's dark eyes, just out of reach of her understanding. He reached down, took her hand and kissed it softly; all the while keeping his smoldering gaze on Aurora's gently innocent expression. He then turned away with a small smile before retreating to his own room.

* * *

Twin pools of silvery-blue stared back at Aurora as she examined her new reflection. It seemed as though the person looking back at her were much older than that of a near sixteen-year-old. Although, she had only bothered to observe her mirror when she absolutely needed to, Aurora had never seen herself in such an over-all way before: she could see straight to her feet and back up to her head. The new dress she wore was light in material compared to the rich, thick fabrics that royalty wore; it cut in at her waist, and fell lightly around her generous hips. The neckline was squared and low enough to hint at her ample chest, and revealed the smooth lines of her collarbone.

Very delicately, Aurora undid the tiny, pearl buttons on the back of her neck, and loosened the black sash from across her waist. On the wooden hooks across from the bed, Aurora hung the dress before turning back to the wash basin to splash her face with water a few times, and undo her tight bun. The corset she wore was much larger than the one she had worn all her life. The ribbons were considerably easier to undo than they had been to lace them up; she gratefully set the stiff material against the wall, and began to unhook her stockings from the small undergarment the woman at the dress shop had sold to her in private. A freedom settled over Aurora's body as it was gently caressed by the soft, white under-dress that she wore with nothing more than her undergarments. Thankfully, she rested her tired body down into the sheets of the bed.

Sleep came to her almost immediately, along with the tiresome dreams of her overactive mind. The man was dancing with her again, and this time it did not end with a simple, unsatisfying kiss and bow. Aurora noted that the dancing became blurred, and single things stuck out to her: the strong feel of his jaw line under her bare hand, the feel of lips on her cheek, and an explosion of her nerves as a broad hand began to travel down her stomach in an intimate embrace.

Aurora sat upright in bed, gripping the sheets between her fingers. Her heart was pounding wildly, and she pushed back the stray hair from her flushed face. There was another, unfamiliar heat coursing through her body that she tried to ignore; however, after nearly an hour of tossing and turning in her sheets, she surrendered, sat up and went to the water basin. There, she pooled the water into her cupped hands and splashed it onto her face. She looked up to her reflection and watched the little droplets slide down her chin and nose. _What am I doing?_ She thought, walking across the small room to her doorway. Silently, she stepped outside and shut the door. The hallway was empty; the wooden walls breathed in gentle sighs with their age, and the floor below did not betray Aurora's footsteps as she took small steps toward the door next to hers.

A shock of cold met Aurora's fingertips as she gently touched the brass door handle. She pulled away and took a steadying breath before she knocked as softly as she could. Muffled rustling met her ears and a few steps were distinguishable behind the door before it was opened. Phillip looked down at her, stunned, then opened the door wider and guided her into his room. She walked in and he shut the door before turning to her.

"I couldn't sleep, I--" Her whispered words were fast and she stumbled over them, "I'm sorry if I woke you." Phillip shrugged and quietly answered,

"I wasn't quite asleep, yet, either." Aurora's hands clutched at her middle, suddenly feeling foolish for not putting anything over her nightgown. His eyes seemed to catch her movement, and he stared at her figure without reserve in his half-sleep. She could not help her wandering eyes either as they lingered on his exposed calves, and traveled up his body to rest at his open shirt.

As if by an unstoppable force, she went to him, and simply pressed herself to his frame. His large arms encircled her, and pressed her impossibly close so that as she took a breath in to collect his smell, she felt her breasts press against his chest. He inhaled slowly, nuzzling her neck and sending small shocks down her spine as he gently bit down on the skin just above her collarbone. An involuntary gasp escaped her lips and she pulled back.

"I'm sorry," He whispered, trailing his hand along her neck. She shivered. "Are you all right?" He asked. She did not respond, but stared into his ardent eyes. If she were to utter a single command, she knew that he would succumb. This powerful freedom was something she had never experienced before. It made her slightly dizzy, and she clutched to his shirt for support. There were no rules here; the only sense that she could focus on was that her entire body seemed to sigh even at his slightest touch.

A warm hand ran across her cheek. Aurora's eyes flickered open, barely aware that she had closed them. Her heart was beating madly against her ribs, nearly bursting out to get to him but she moved slowly. As she pressed her soft lips to his, she knew they had both crossed a threshold where they were no longer in control.

* * *

They both lied in a comfortable silence for the next few minutes.

Aurora turned her head to look at the prince to see if he was still awake; Phillip smiled lazily at her, and she grinned back as she brushed the stray locks of brown hair from his face. He drew her to him, placing a feather-light kiss on her golden-black hair before whispering,

"_My love_."

With that, Aurora fell into the welcome blackness of sleep.


	6. Chapter 5

SB (c) Disney

* * *

**Chapter Five**

A bright beam streamed in through the small window of Phillip's bedroom. It danced across Aurora's eyelashes and smooth cheeks. The light warmth roused her, and a devilish grin spread across her mouth as she stretched out her sore body. Her sleep had been continuously interrupted by nightmares of a very peculiar nature; thankfully, Phillip's steady breathing had been able to put her back to sleep throughout the night. She rubbed her arms and hands as the lingering memory of the dreams pricked at her skin. Looking down at the rumpled sheets, idly wondering where Phillip had left to. She smiled again as she singled out the light scent of him that still clung to the pillow next to hers.

As quietly as she could, she slipped back into her nightgown, peeked outside the door and dashed to her own bedroom without a sound. She let out a breath of relief and went to the small basin on the vanity. She pulled back her tangled hair in a loose braid before quickly washing her face. As she began to pull up her stockings, Aurora heard a knock on the door.

"Signorina?" A woman with wild, black hair--that was barely being contained by a bun--walked in and shut the door. "Would you like some help?" Aurora nodded thankfully. The woman kindly laced Aurora's corset for her, and helped her fasten the small buttons down the back of the moss-green dress. The woman took her leave as soon as Aurora was properly dressed, and a moment later another knock sounded on her door. Phillip's tall form stood in her doorway, smiling in a most charming manner. She felt a pleasant tenderness in knowing that he was smiling for her. From behind his back, he revealed a deep-red rose, and handed it to her with a kiss.

"Happy birthday."

* * *

The town was buzzing with activity. A light layer of snow blanketed the streets and rooftops. It was a sight to behold as a festival was being prepared for the New Year. Aurora had forgotten what day it was, and was surprised to know that Phillip had managed to remember her birthday from the time that her aunts had mentioned it over two weeks ago. They laughed non-stop and walked together through the bright colors of the festival. Phillip had turned up the collar of his cape to hide his face, but a few people spotted him and questioned why he was not going to be in the parade; however, Phillip managed to weasel his way out of an answer every time. Around noon, they settled down at a small café to watch the parade.

"I don't think I'll be missed, too much." Phillip mused, taking a bite of gelato from Aurora's cup.

"You shouldn't do this," She chided with not as much force as she could have mustered up, "They're probably worried sick, and aren't you missing out on all the fun?" She asked, licking the melting gelato off her finger. Phillip put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek.

"_This_ is much more fun." She giggled and jumped when a loud horn and drum combination sounded from down the street. The crowd rushed to the edges of the road and stood behind guards that acted as crowd control. Aurora and Phillip stood to join the crowd, and watched as small performances of horseback riders and musicians introduced the royal family. Everyone took a deep bow as the court passed. A chuckle escaped Phillip's lips before he too bowed; he kept his head low, next to Aurora's ear and whispered as each person passed. There were so many dukes, duchesses, lords and ladies that she had lost count by the time the current ruling kings and queens were marched down the street.

"They are Adrina and Stefan, of course. Have you ever seen them before?" Aurora had not, and she shook her head. Looking more intently at the pair, she noted curiously that the woman's hair was just as hers was naturally: golden in the sunlight. "Look, my mother and father." He gestured to a large, crowned man dressed in gold with an elfin redhead sitting beside him in a pale, yellow dress. "Hubert and Loretta are their names, but I'm sure you know that." She nodded and watched as they passed.

"Your mother is quite beautiful." She whispered as the woman passed them without a glance. Then, she noticed the young woman ridding behind them, alone. She was lovely, with auburn hair and large, brown eyes.

"Who is she?" Aurora inquired when Phillip did not immediately begin to describe her title, "I thought _you_ would be riding behind your parents." Phillip looked up again, and she thought she saw his skin pale a little. "Phillip?" she inquired gently, and put a hand to his shoulder. Then, the young woman looked over and locked eyes with Phillip. Her back stiffened and she set her jaw, looking as though she would spring from her seat at any moment. In those moments Aurora looked to Phillip, but his sight was set on the young woman—he looked sick. Then, the girl's bitter gaze locked onto Aurora. Her eyes seemed to burn, but Aurora could not turn away from her. The woman finally turned her head and a single tear ran down her cheek. A few people looked around with a questioning murmur, but Phillip had already torn himself away from the sight of the crowd, towing Aurora behind him.

"_Phillip!"_ She yelled for what seemed like the hundredth time. He stopped behind a store located very far from the main street, and clutched her to his chest. She pushed away from him and demanded again,

"_What's wrong?_" He shook his head and began to pace, speaking softly,

"Rose, if I tell you, you may not—well, you will—I'm afraid," He stopped pacing and stood silent and still in front of her. She watched him with her eyebrows meshed together, and took his hand in hers. She said nothing but stared at him until he finally spoke,

"She is Princess Mariette. She was someone for me to consider." Aurora blinked,

"Consider?"

"You see," He began quickly, letting go of her hand to gesture as he spoke, "My parents have always told me that I was betrothed to a mysterious girl I have never met before. This year I was supposed to meet—and be wed to her. Can you believe that they had already built a small villa for us to live in?" He paused and shook his head, still not quite looking Aurora in the eye,

"I began to argue constantly with my father; this led to him arguing with Stefan and so on. Last year, my betrothal was broken, and I traveled abroad to France where I met Mariette and we—" Phillip's dark eyes glanced through his lashes to Aurora's stunned face.

"And what?"

"And we fell in love--" The rest of the sentence was drowned out by the loud, crashing drums and trumpets of the parade along with a roar from the crowd.

For the first time all day, Aurora noticed that the air outside was painfully freezing on her face. Her swollen, cold lips trembled, trying to make words out of her racing thoughts. A burning heat had taken hold of her; she could imagine her whole self shrinking, and building up in her stomach, traveling up to her heart and being eaten alive by the inferno that had so suddenly appeared there.

"--not matter. You are the only one for me, Rose. _I love you_."

Aurora's vision blurred as she ran, and the heat from her tears was all she could feel. The once playful colors, now seemed to mock her in the bright daylight. She ran until she reached the stable at the front of town. There, she stopped to catch her breath and looked back but Phillip had finally disappeared into the crowd. Her right hand pulsed in time with her slowing heartbeat. Had she slapped him? She could not even recall his once familiar face in her mind's eye. The stable master came to her, and she paid for a large grey horse with the left over money Phillip had lent her. A young boy came along with her, and they rode to the edge of the forest together. When they came to a familiar creek, she told him to leave her. He tried to take her further to her destination, but she refused and ran into the forest before he could follow her.

The thick, old tree-tops had created a cover that neither the snow nor the sun could penetrate. The grounds were dry and littered with forest debris. Everything was still as Aurora walked through the green maze; the common calls of wild birds and animals echoed around her, but did nothing to distract her thoughts. Her mind revisited every moment that she had spent with Phillip; every moment that she had slipped deeper in love with him. The emotions she thought she would cherish evermore were now too painful to remember clearly. Hours passed until Aurora came to a familiar path, and soon found herself in the glen where a small woodcutter's cottage stood, alone. The sun was setting but the glow from inside the house was inexplicably bright. Aurora walked to the door, and knocked before pushing the door open.

"Ornella?" She called out in a shaky, unused voice.

"Hello?" Someone answered back. The voice was strange, and Aurora stopped in the doorway,

"Who's there?" She demanded. A creek and shuffle sounded from the sitting room, and an elderly woman appeared before Aurora. She was bent over in a brown traveling cape, and held a polished black cane with a green orb at the head.

"Oh, and who are you?" She asked in a voice like cracked leather. Aurora's eyebrows knitted together,

"My aunts—where are they?" The old woman laughed,

"Oh, those three fairies that lived here, before? They've left."

"_Fairies?_" Aurora breathed, further confused.

"Yes, my child. Didn't you know? They were raising that poor little girl—the _princess_, if you could imagine! She was a lovely child with golden hair just like her mother's. Why," The old woman smiled proudly, revealing healthy-looking, white teeth, "I was there the day she was born." Aurora's heart began to pound, and she clutched at her cape.

"What...?" She asked in a faint voice.

"You don't look well, why don't you have a seat? My, whatever happened to your hair?" Aurora's head was still spinning as she took a seat in the chair—the sofa was being blocked by a small spinning wheel.

"How did you know them? My aunts—the fairies?" The woman laughed, and lowered herself down slowly onto the sofa.

"This is my cottage. I let them use it while they cared for Princess Aurora." A shock ran through her as Aurora heard her own name for the first time since she had left the castle.

"The young girl was… but it was _me_. I was the only young girl they looked after." The woman looked at her intently, now, and Aurora noticed that the woman's eyes were a florescent green color.

"You are Aurora." The woman stated. Aurora shook her head, but the old woman continued, "Why, yes, you_ are!_ Oh, princess, you've grown to be so lovely, just as the fairies said you would. But they've ruined your hair." Boney fingers reached out to capture a lock of Aurora's dyed hair. She let go and sighed, "Today is your birthday, is it not, princess?"

"Yes, it is." She said, still dazed. Aurora's mind had suddenly become fuzzy, and she felt as though the world had slowed to revolve around the woman's bright, green eyes.

"How old are you, my pet?" Her voice had lost the old crackle to it, and was becoming a sensual lullaby. Aurora felt herself answer,

"Sixteen."

"That's right, princess. Would you help an old woman with her sewing?" The lime eyes were swirling around Aurora's vision, and she noticed the wrinkling face becoming as smooth as the voice and dangerously beautiful. The cat-like pupils glanced over toward the spinning wheel, and Aurora's gaze followed, like an obedient servant, to the sharp point on top. A cloud surrounded the needle filled with blurred memories of laughing with her aunts, picking berries, singing deep in the forest, Phillip's lips pressed against hers, running through the castle grounds as a small child…

A sharp sting on her middle finger brought everything back into blinding focus, and she saw a red pin prick of blood blossom on the tip of her finger. Before her stood a magnificent sight: the old woman was gone, and had been replaced by a beautiful, dark figure with cat-slit eyes and devilish horns adorning her head. The blue-grey lips curled in a wicked smile, and Aurora's vision began to blur once more before everything went black.

"Sleep well, princess."


	7. Chapter 6

I changed some of the words around, but for the most part, spells (c) Disney

* * *

**Chapter Six**

Ornella tried to shout as Aurora's slender figure fell to the floor. As soon as the princess hit the ground, sparks went flying; Ornella readied her wand and hit Aurora with a spell that made her float gently off the ground while Freya and Glaucia hit Malvina with a curse as dark as they could manage. Malvina simply laughed, deemed them all fools and disappeared in a cloud of green and purple smoke. The three fairies raced back to the castle with Aurora as quickly as their wings could beat, and saw that the festival was already in order. Up in the highest tower, a number of small cots lined the walls for servants to rest during the day. Glaucia quickly pushed three cots together, and Freya conjured up a thicker blanket and a soft pillow to cover the bigger bed. Ornella then lowered their beloved Rose onto the bed. Each cried, for the color of her lips faded to a dull pink, her cheeks were sallow and all of her hair had dulled to the color of straw. Life had seeped out of her body, as she lay in the sleeping death.

Glaucia was the first to speak up,

"We must return home. There must be a—a _spell_ of some sort that could reveal to us some wisdom from the future. We cannot just sit by and—" Ornella patted her sister's hand in a reassuring manner, then suggested,

"We shall put everyone to sleep," Ornella's hand pressed itself to Aurora's cool cheek, "She will not be alone when she wakes. It's the least we can do." They each kissed the princess on her cheek before quickly darting out the window. The three fairies worked efficiently, and soon the town was like a battlefield, filled with bodies lying in the white snow.

"They'll all be fine, Freya. She'll be fine." Freya still cried silently as the three took off for the forest.

* * *

Phillip was racing through the trees, managing to keep his footing all the way through the strange forest, and finally found the woodcutter's cottage where a minuscule light was cutting through the darkness.

He pounded frantically on the door to no avail.

"_Rose!_" He shouted, opening the door to reveal an empty sitting room with only a candle in the window. "Rose, it's me." Still no reply, "I must talk with you, _please!_" From the blackness, he heard a light chuckle, like that of a bell.

"Prince Phillip? How delightful." A thin, sinister woman appeared from the shadows with not a sound but her voice. "Here I was hoping to catch a peasant, and _lo_," she grinned, revealing her pointed teeth, "I catch a prince."

Ropes were thrown onto Phillip from every direction, and he fell to the floor with no time to react.

"Careful, my pets, I have plans for our royal guest."

* * *

Freya gasped. Ornella and Glaucia turned to search where their sister was looking. The door of the cottage had been flung open. In an instant, there was a black blur that raced out of the cottage and into the surrounding forest.

"That was Malvina!" Ornella exclaimed. The three fairies ran into the home, but could see no damage. Glaucia noted two dark blood spots on the wooden floor of the sitting room and sighed. As she backed away, she felt something crunch underfoot. Lifting her foot, she bent down to pick up a small metal clasp. Ornella gave out a gasp, and grabbed the small metal piece.

"It's the royal insignia!" The familiar crest shinned dully in the candle light as they all stared at it.

"What business would Phillip have here?" Freya asked ingenuously. Glaucia blinked at her sister,

"Because, dear, he is in love with Aurora." Comprehension dawned over Freya's face and she giggled. Glaucia turned to Ornella, infuriated, "I cannot believe Malvina beat us to it! How could she have known?"

"Malvina must have used black magic to seek the answer; it is powerful at a cost." Glaucia nodded and Ornella continued, "It must have been Phillip with her—hurry."

The three fairies flew into the night and over the forest tree tops as they approached the tall peaked mountain range. A crazed, purple cloud whirled madly above a black castle, sending down occasional streaks of blinding, white-blue lightning. The gates were wide open, as if daring anyone to enter the menacing building. The three stopped and performed a small spell to shrink themselves down to the size of a dormouse before flying through the massive doors. Ornella led the way down the many flights of stairs, floating over large groups of wild men and goons who danced around orange flames. The flames let off an intoxicating yellowish-green haze that the men ran and jumped through. Soon, they came to the dungeons where the stone was so thick that all sounds of the festivities above were mute. The fairies stopped at a small window ledge in the stones to rest, their heartbeats fluttering faster than a hummingbird's.

"How do we get past them?" Freya asked quietly as she eyed the giant, twin cats curled at the foot of the cracked door.

"They won't wake if we are very quick. We will have to—"

"_Shh!_" Glaucia interrupted, "Someone is coming." From the far side of the hallway, the three watched as Malvina strode to the wooden door and entered, not stirring the cats. They followed quickly behind her, and floated as high as they could manage to hide in the shadow of the door. Malvina's slender hand reached out and pushed open another, smaller wooden door. There was no lock when she closed the door, but the three remained in the shadow, waiting.

* * *

"Oh, come now, Prince Phillip. Why so melancholy?" Phillip raised his head and glared at the woman, pulling his hands against his bonds in a rude gesture. She continued with a smile on her face, "Do not be so cross with me. A wondrous future lies before you—_you_: the destined hero of a charming fairy tale come true." She raised her hand to his chin, and forced him to look into the small crystal orb on its top.

"Behold: in yonder topmost tower, dreaming of her true love, the princess, Aurora. But see the gracious whim of fate! Why, 'tis the self-same peasant maid, who won the heart of our noble prince!"

Malvina grinned wickedly as Phillip's eyes widened into shock and his struggling ceased. Rose was Princess Aurora—his true wife-to-be that had been promised to him at birth. The woman he had doubted to be more than a myth; the woman he had almost given up.

"She is indeed, most wondrous fair: gold of sunshine in her hair, lips that shame the red, red rose. In ageless sleep, she finds repose. The years roll by, but a hundred years to a steadfast heart, are but a day…" In the orb, the scene changed to a withering old man in tattered robes sitting atop a graying horse, "And now, the gates of a dungeon part, and our prince is free to go his way. Off he rides, on his noble steed, a valiant figure, _straight_ and _tall!_ To wake his love with 'loves true kiss' and prove that _'true love conquers all'!_"

Malvina let out a shrieking laugh as Phillip stood to attack her, but was pulled back by the iron shackles. A fierce wrath raged in his eyes as he cursed her with every menacing threat he could conjure up. Malvina put a thin finger under his chin, undaunted, and spoke:

"You are hopeless, my young prince. Why would you waste your time on a flower that will wither with time?" She smirked at him a last time before turning to glide out of the door, "For the first time in sixteen years, I will sleep well." She left then, leaving Phillip in the darkness of his single-windowed prison. His head reeled with ideas of how he could cause harm to that woman, but was shortly interrupted when the door opened to reveal three small balls of light. The door shut and the three lights transformed into three short women that he recognized as Aurora's aunts. The only differences in their appearances were the small, translucent wings that fluttered behind them. His eyes widened and a smile spread across his face as he began to speak.

"There's no time, Phillip, we must hurry." Ornella interrupted. Their magic worked quickly, unbinding him and unlocking the door to the cell.

"Come, quickly. If we're quiet, we should be all right." Phillip nodded, but clutched Glaucia's arm with urgency.

"Rose—Aurora, she'll be—is she?"

"Yes, she'll be fine. We are sure of it."

The group moved up the stairs until they came to a large, empty thrown room where Malvina must have spent most of her time, brooding. There, Ornella paused,

"Phillip, Malvina is smart; she'll soon figure out that you are with us, and she will try to separate us. Take these," With her sisters, she conjured a bright sword, and a large, sturdy shield. "If we fall behind, you must carry on to save Aurora."

"I will." Then, a large bang came from behind them, and Freya let out a small yelp.

"_Shh!_" But it was too late; a group of goons had stumbled into the room and were yelling excitedly as soon as they saw the group.

Phillip's sturdy legs pushed him all the way across the long hallway and out into the main courtyard of the palace in a matter of seconds. Goons were swarming out of the castle, now; the fairies turning all the flying arrows into flowers, and large rocks into harmless bubbles. Malvina revealed herself from a towering peak and let out a screech that reached all across the valley.

"_Phillip!_" Ornella cried as a dark bolt of lightning zoomed toward Phillip. He wielded his shield in front of him, and the bolt ricocheted to hit the wall next to him. Ornella flew to him and said breathlessly,

"We are going to perform a spell to make you small enough for us to transport. You will be sent directly to the castle, but the spell will impair your vision for a while; keep your eyes closed during the spell or you may blind yourself. Stay hidden until you're able to see again." He nodded and braced himself as the three fairies all shot small beams of light from their wands at his forehead. There was a popping sound in his ears, and he squinted his eyes shut even tighter as he felt a jerk from within. Then, the smell of damp earth surrounded him, and he opened his eyes in vain to check his surroundings. There was a moment where he could see the castle, but his sight blurred again to blackness. For a solid two minutes, Phillip tried focusing on his hand, the tree across the path, a rock, but nothing could clear the blackness completely. Finally, he could keep the castle in focus long enough to judge the distance. He decided to run.

Malvina spotted Phillip's silhouette dashing out of the forest. She slammed her fist down on the bricks of her tower, and watched as the three fairies bolted into the forest, finally free of the goons. A tremor went through Malvina's body as her screeching curse traveled over the landscape,

_"Forest of Thorns shall be his tomb, _

_Borne through the skies on a fog of doom! _

_Now go with the curse, and serve me well._

_'Round Aurora's tower, cast my spell!" _

A swirling cloud of magic covered the ground around the castle, and thousands of thorns sprung from the ground. Phillip halted in mid-stride as he hit a bush that tore at his chest and sleeves. He took in a deep breath, and began to tare his way through the maze of thorns, striking at them with his sword, and blocking as much as he could with his shield and bloodied arm. Malvina watched carefully, waiting for the prince to succumb to pain or frustration; he was bleeding profusely now, his clothing coming apart in large areas, and a thousand cuts adorning his back and arms. Soon, he was only feet away from the castle entrance, and he hacked wildly at the tall bushes.

"No…_It cannot be!_" Malvina transported herself in a swirl of bright, sputtering magic, and stood before the prince, dripping in sparks of green and purple, "Now, you shall deal with _me_, O prince! And all the powers of _hell!_"

A rumbling from the ground sounded, and Phillip backed away as the stone under him shook violently. An explosion of grey mist erupted from the ground where Malvina had once stood, and a massive beast took her place.

"Climb, Phillip, hurry!" Came Glaucia's voice from behind. Phillip tore away from the black and indigo scaled monster, and ran up the cliff side to a large landing that was level with the dragon's head. A rumbling laugh emitted from the dragon, and a neon-yellow tongue slithered out from its black mouth. It took a sudden lunge at Phillip, and he dodged it smoothly. Then, the large, spiked tail came down hard on his left arm, and he let out a cry as the shield shattered, and his bone snapped.

"Phillip, your sword!" He hacked at the dragon's nose, but found that the scales were as impenetrable as they were in the tales of old. Ornella cried out from behind him,

_"Thou sword of truth,_

_Fly swift and sure,_

_That evil die and good endure!"_

Phillip's sword began to pulsate, turning platinum silver, and he saw a dark spot in the dragon's purple underbelly. He threw his sword directly into the spot, and the monster let out a terrible shriek that echoed against the tall mountain range. The dragon fell then, over the steep side of the cliff and took the sword with it. Phillip held to the fairies for support and watched the beast wither in its death. It stained the sword black until darkness took them both and they disintegrated into a puff of yellow.

A long moment passed, where none of the group moved. They all clutched at each other, and Phillip's labored breath was all that broke the silence. Then, his trance was broken as one of the fairies spoke,

"Come, Phillip. Aurora is waiting for you."


	8. Chapter 7

SB (c) Disney

woot! Last chapter. :D Thanks for reading.

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

The white snow gently cradled the townsfolk, all of them flushed and slumbering. Phillip stumbled across the slick walkways, with the fairies supporting him. They soon reached the top of the tower, and a small ray of sunlight struck the princess in her colorless face. The three fairies lowered Phillip to his knees gently and backed away.

Phillip gazed down at her petrified beauty. His uninjured hand smoothed her limp hair back, leaving a trail of vibrant, golden strands in his wake. He moved to touch her thin cheeks, and they too regained some of their former life at his touch. He remembered her bell-like laugh, her bright smile, her charming wit and her brilliant sapphire gaze. There was no hint of her left in this corpse. He touched her lips, then, and she sighed deeply in sleep, as if knowing he was there beside her.

Still unsure, his lips lowered onto hers, waiting for an answer. None of the fairies dared to breathe, but Freya let out a small gasp when she saw the sheen return to Aurora's golden hair; her cheeks flushed and her lips colored as she answered her prince's kiss.

Phillip pulled away and looked down at Aurora's stirring form. Her thick eyelashes fluttered as Phillip's features slowly came into focus. His amber eyes rejoiced in the familiar sight of her pure, blue gaze. Her small voice spoke,

"Phillip?" He smiled and without much warning, took her in his arms and pressed her hard against his chest, not worrying if she was too weak to respond. Aurora responded just as fiercely, and clutched to his form as well, as if trying to press her very soul against his. She pulled away to look at his face again--it was so much like the first time she'd seen him: strewn with blood and dirt, but it was still a perfect face that she wished to hold in her hands forever.

Her lips pressed to his eagerly, and she smiled when his strong arms wrapped around her waist, knowing that he would never let go.

* * *

Aurora adjusted her slender, gold crown, and watched in the mirror as Phillip struggled to get his bandaged arm through the sleeve of his new jacket. She turned and went to him, placing a soft kiss on his cheek before helping his arm through the sleeve.

"Does it hurt much, still?" Phillip shrugged,

"It won't interfere with the dance." She laughed, and smoothed down the front of her dress.

"Do I look presentable?" Phillip looked her over once and kissed her in answer.

"More beautiful than all the roses of the earth." She giggled and kept her gaze on him as she spoke,

"As I slept, I could only dream of you, Phillip." She smoothed away a lock of unruly hair from his face. He brushed his hand across her cheek fleetingly before grabbing her hand and leading her out the door. They walked down the stairs together, and Aurora felt her heart begin to pound. Phillip wrapped his good arm around her waist reassuringly, and kissed the top of her golden head.

"Their royal highnesses: Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora." The crowd gave out a bellowing cheer, and Aurora couldn't help but smile. Then, she saw a beautiful woman with hair that matched hers, and a tall man with luminous, blue eyes that reflected the light as hers did. Her breath caught and she ran into her mother's arms, she felt her father stroke her head gently and he whispered,

"Welcome home, Aurora."

The music started and laughter surrounded them all, electrifying them with joy and merriment. A waltz had begun in the middle of the ballroom, and Phillip bowed to Aurora as the two took the dance floor. Everyone clapped and cheered for their new rulers, and the three fairies looked down on the couple fondly. Freya was wiping at a small tear that had escaped when Ornella asked,

"Why, Freya, what's the matter, dear?" Ornella put a hand on her shoulder. Freya sighed dreamily,

"Oh, I just love happy endings." Ornella smiled,

"Yes, sister, me t—_what the_—_?_" Glaucia looked to her sister, and asked,

"What's wrong, Ornella?" Ornella responded in a reproachful tone,

"Who decided to make the dress _blue?_ Of all the _nonsense_—"

"I think it's a lovely shade." Glaucia said slyly.

Freya giggled and looped her arms through her sisters'. The laughing caught Aurora's attention and she looked up to where they stood. She stopped, went to the edge of the crowd and blew a kiss to her aunts. Behind her, Phillip bowed to them and waved. They each nodded and waved back to the couple. Then, they watched their precious Aurora take the floor once again with her true love at her side.

The End__


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